Sample-display trunk.



PATENTED AUG. 23, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHiIBT 1 J. L. TANDY. SAMPLE DISPLAY TRUNK. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16, 1903.

no MODEL.

[/7l/6/7/0/ Ml. 72220 PATENTED AUG. 23,1904.

J. TANDY. SAMPLE DISPLAY TRUNK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16, 1903. N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i L f PATENTED AUG. 23, 1904.

J. L. TANDY. SAMPLE DISPLAY TRUNK. APPLIOATION FILED Nov. 16, 1903.

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no MODEL.

' [006mm J6. ZZZ/m PATENTED AUG. 23 1904.

L. TANDY. I SAMPLE DISPLAY TRUNK. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16, 1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STAT S latented August 23, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. TANDY, or HORTON, KAivsAs.

SAMPLE-DISPLAY TRUNK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 768,091, dated August 2? 1904.

Application filed llovembe'r 16, 1908. Serial No. 181,305- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. TANDY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Horton, in the county of Brown and State of Kansas,

.have invented certain new and useful I'mprovements in Sample -Display Trunks, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to sample-display trunks for traveling salesmen; and my object is to produce a device of this character to be used especially in displaying curtains. draperies, and analogous furnishings which has great capacity for display and which is of simple, strong, durable, cheap, and compact construction.

With this general object in view the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and organization, as hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section taken on the line I I of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a front view with part of the front wall broken away. Fig. 3 is a view with the front wall omitted and with one part in section on the dotted line X and another part in section on the dotted line 9 of Fig. 1, part of the mechanism which is normally forward of the sectioned parts being broken away. Fig. 4 is a side elevation with the lidpartially raised and the slidable frame pushed inward to permit the racks to dropafter being unstrapped. Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal section with the lid completely opened and the displayrack mechanism occupying its elevated posi- Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the device in the position it occupies in Fig. 5-, but with one of the display-racks opened for the actual display of the samples. Fig. 7 is an enlarged section on the line VII Vll of Fig. 5 of one of the racks after the samples are unrolled .therefrom. Fig. 8' is an enlarged detail perspective view of the rack carrying angleplate, the bracket to which said plate is pivoted, and the sliding frame carried by said plate. Fig. 9 is a top plan view of a modi- Fig. 10 is a vertical section taken on the line X X of Fig. 9, but

with the sample-supporting arms in elevation.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, 1 designates the body of the trunk of oblong rectangular form, and 2 the lid thereof. The lid is preferably provided for a considerable portion of its upper surface with a sheetmetal guard-plate 3, having sides 4:, which externally embrace the body and are pivoted to the latter, as at 5, some distance from its upper edge in order to dispose the lid when elevated some distance beyond the rear end of the trunk, the rear flange 6 of the guardplate being adapted to bear against the rear wall of the trunk and prevent the lid from swinging too far back. Said flange also provides a closure for the central notch 7 in the upper edge of the rear wall of the trunk when the lid is closed, as shown in Fig. l.

8 is a hinge-bracket disposed in notch 7 and secured to the rear wall of the trunk, and pivoted to work vertically to said hingebracket is a resilient rod 9, terminating at its front or upper end in a fork 10, having its front or lower tine pivoted to the rod and capable of swinging toward the rear or upper tine under certain conditions, as hereinafter appears. Said rod carries an adjustable collar 11 at a suitable point and a helical expansive spring 12, the latter bearing at one end against the collar and at its opposite end against a bracket 13,, through which the rod extends and which is secured rigidly to the inner side of the lid, said rod also extending through a slot 15 in a cross-bar 14:, secured to the lower sideof the lid and equipped with a strap 16, for a. purpose which hereinafter appears.

Secured to the inner side of the lid near its front end and bridging the recess 17 therein is an angle-bracket 18, having its front arm cut away to form an opening 19 and at opposite sides of said opening bent to form eyes or loops 20 for the pintless 22 of. the hingeplate 21, said hinge=plate being provided at its upper end with an angle arm 23, projecting at right angles to its body portion and provided with a central slot 24 for a purpose which hereinafter appears.

Hinged to the side margins of plate21 are their upper and lower ends with flanges 28, of 1 triangular form by preference, and said plates 1 27 at their normally upper corners are formed with eyes or loops 29.

Fitting between and pivoted to flanges 28,

call socket-brackets, because they are horizontally divided by partitions 32 into a plurality of vertically-alined sockets, and extendingthrough said partitions and the top and bottom flanges of said plates 27 are a plurality of parallel hinge-rods 33, w'hereon are pivotally mounted in said sockets sample-supporting arms 34:, said arms being adapted to swing laterally, as indicated in Fig. 6, when the lid is raised and the display-rack mechanism just described occupies the position shown in Fig. 5. Each arm 34 is longitudinally slotted, as at 35, for the greater part of its length in order to receive the upper edge ofa backing-sheet 36, interposed between two samples, such as lace curtains, for the purpose of displaying the design, quality, and shade of said samples more clearly, said samples 37 being suspended from said arms by having their upper ends bent over the forks of the arm and downward through the slot 35' thereof at opposite sides of the backing-sheet 36, the samples and backing-sheet being secured reliably in position by small substantially U-shaped clips 38 of sufficient strength to spring the resilient tines of the forked arms together, as will be readily understood by reference to Figs. 6 and 7, the

; last-named figure illustrating one of the racks in its folded or closed position and the hinged frame 39 in the position it occupies when the curtains are rolled up preliminary to the closing of the trunk. There is a hinge-frame 39 for each rack, each frame being slightly "wider than its rack when folded, so as to lit at the sides of the corresponding socketbracket 31, the contiguous end of the frame extending pivo'tally through the eyes or loops 29 of the flanged plate 27, as shown most clearly in Figs. 1, 3, and 6. ltsopposite end at the same time fits'near the outer end of the contiguous horizontal series of rack -arms and is held thereat by the samples snugly Wrapped around the rack. The frames because incapable of movement laterally of the racks hold the latter rigid against movement on pivots 30 during the rolling of the samples,and the latter whenthus disposed are inclosed within a slip or sack 40 to protect them from dust and from other injurious contact, these sacks in turn being held in place by an elastic band 41 or its equivalent.

For the purpose of preventing the lid from accidentally closing it has pivoted to it a bracerod 42, having its lower end pointed and adapted to automatically embed itself slightly under the weight of the supporting-racks in the longitudinal wood strip 13, secured to the bottom of and within the body of the trunk.

When the lid is raised, the lower end of this rod is dragged rearward on said strip, and as soon as the lid is released the rod embeds itself into said strip in an obvious manner,

and therefore supports the lid in the position as at 30, are brackets 31, which I prefer to l l l l l l l described. To look the lid in its closed position, I form a skeleton slide-frame by bending a suitable wire rod to produce a cross-bar 4:4: and the parallel arms 45, the latter being bent to right-angle form, as at 4:6, and terminating at their opposite ends in books -17, the arms of the frame extending slidingly through openings 48 in the hinge-plate 21. \Vhen the trunk is closed, the sliding frame occupies the position shown in Fig. l that is to say, the angle-arms 45 extend through notches if) in the upper edge of the front wall, with their hooks 47 projecting into the recess 17 of the lid and engaging the rear edge of the bridging portion of bracket 18 and with the crossbar 44c so close to the front wall of the trunk that the frame cannot be slid rearward to disengage the hooks, said cross-bar M having hinged thereto the hasp 50. The latter has its slot 51 engaging the staple 52, projecting from the front wall of the trunk and engaged by a padlock hen the trunk is closed, the spring 12 is held tightly compressed by reason of the fact that its collar 11 is nearer to pivotal point 5 than when the lid is open. As a result whenever the lid is closed the rod moves relatively toward the hinge-point of the lid and compresses the spring in order to store power for a purpose which hereinafter appears.

To open the trunk and display its contents properly to the merchant, the person in charge removes the padlock and disengages the hasp from the staple. He then raises the lid to approximately the position shown in Fig. 4, where it is automatically held by the brace i2 hereinbefore described. He then after pushing the sliding frame rearward to disengage its hooks from bracket 18 releases the strap 16, preferably equipped with the usual buckle, so as to permit the free ends of the racks to gravitate downward, with pintles 22 as the axis of movement, upon the bottom of the trunk or upon a suitable cushion or support 5 1, bridging the trunk-body, so as to avoid friction with the bottom and possible injury to the covers and samples inclosed thereby. As the lid attained the position shown in Fig. at the front end of the lid was relatively moved rearward or nearer to hinge-bracket 8, because of the eccentric relation existing between said hinge-bracket and the hinge-point 5 of the lid, the result being a relative forward movement of rod E), the power of spring 12 being utilized to assist the operator in raising the lid. This the angle-arm 23 of plate 21. and as the racks the upper or rear-tine of the fork through the slot 24: of said arm. As the opening movement'of the lid is continued the relative forward movement of the rod also continues, and therefore results in'forcing the angle-arm forward and upward until it attains approximately a horizontal position, with the displayrac'k mechanism supported therefrom also occupying a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 5, in which position said rod obviously braces the display-rack mechanism, and in this connection by reference to Fig. 5 it will be noticed that the resilient brace-rod is sprung forwardly somewhat by reason of its inter locked relation with the angle-arm for a purpose which hereinafter appears. The raising of thelid by grasping the. hasp affords the operator considerable leverage on the racks to facilitate their downward movement until they hang vertically and then to swing them forward and upward until they attain a horizontal position. 7

To open the racks and display the samples, the person in charge must .now remove the cover 40, inclosing the three racks, and then swing the two outer racksto approximately the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6, this'swi-ng-v ing movement taking place by swinging hingeplates 25 at right angles to plate 21. This disposition of the outer racks also. tends to counterbalance the central or forwardly-projecting one, so as to relieve the brace-rod of all the strain possible. ,When the racks are thus disposed, the person in charge removes the bands 55, fitting around the individual racks, and then grasping the latter turns them (one at a time, of course) on swivel 26, so as to unroll the samples and permit them to hang pendently. The frames 39 are then swung downward, so as to be out of the way of the hanging samples, which are separatedfor convenient inspection by swinging arms 34 apart, substantially as shown in Fig. 6.

To vreclose the trunk, the operator again nests the individual arms M, as shown most clearly in Fig. 7 He then swings frame39 forward and upward and passes the lower ends of the samples through the same, so that it can be raised to substantially the position shown inFig. 5, one side of saidframe forming a mandrel around which the proximate and all other samples are bent as the rack is again turned on swivel 26, but in the opposite direction to its-former movement, so as to reroll the samples around the rack, each rack of course being treated in the same manner. Individual bandsare then slipped over the racks and the samples wrapped around the racks to pre'vent the latterunwinding, and then the two side racks are swung forwardly. to a position parallelwith the central one, the three by preference being jointly inclosed in the sack or cover 40, secured in place by band 41 or its equivalent. The operator now raises the racks slightly on the pivots or pintles 22 until angle-arm 23 is disengaged from the fork of the brace-rod, so

7 as to permit the latter to spring back to a position about half-way between its positions as shown inFig. 5. The racks are then -per-' mitted to swing down from the pivotal point abovementioned until approximately parallel with the lid, where they are secured by the strap 16. In this swinging movement the angle-arm engages the forked rod and springs it back to substantially the position'shown in, Fig. 5, where it is held by said arm, when the racks are secured parallel with the lid-,.as described and as shown in Fig. 1. r The lid is grasped and lowered andin such lowering operation effects relative rearward movement of the brace-rod with reference tov the hinge-point 5. The result of this is that spring 12 is compressed and the forked end of the rod withdrawn from behind the anglearm 28, and in this connection it will be seen that by having the front or lower tine of said fork pivoted it collapses slightly, so as to offer no resistance ,to the angle-plate assuming a parallel relation with the lid and also in order that it shall not snap into the slot 24 of said armwhile being withdrawn from, behind the latter, and thus oflier any material resistance to such withdrawal movement,

Just before the lid is completely closed the. forked end-of the rod clears the edge ofthe angle-arm and springs down to approximately the position shown in Fig. 1, it beingunderstood that this tendency to assume this posi tion increases as the lid approaches its horizontal position, because its pivoted or hinged end relatively moves upward to meet the lid, and thus bends the rod slightly at both sides of the bracket 13, in which it fulcrums.- The withdrawal action'of-the rod described is of course resisted by spring 12, which thus not only forms a cushion against the lid closing too heavily should it be released, but also when the lid is again opened, as hereinbefore explained, serves to assist the operator in raising it.. I The operator before the lid iscompletely closed pulls forward on the hasp, so as to draw. forward the slide ,-frame mounted in plate 21 until-its hooks 47 enter recess 17' and engage the rear edge of angle-bracket 18.

As the lid closes the slide-frame enters the notches 49 in the upper edge of the front wall of the trunk, the portion 45 of said frame fitting snugly against the face of the front wall, so as to prevent while the lid is down the disengagement of the hooks from plate 18. The hasp is then fitted over the staple and is secured thereto by the padlock or any equivalent locking device. In this condition the trunk may be shipped with the same facility as any other trunk.

' By reference to Fig. 6 particularly, it will be apparent that the relation of the pivotal points 33 is such that arms 34 in the same horizontal plane when extending straight forward, as when nested, can never assume a parallel or approximately parallel relation until the whole of socket 31 turns on pivot 30, which in some situations is a disadvantage. I therefore have added the modified construction shown in Figs. 9 and 10, wherein it willbe noticed that arms 34 have their pivots 33 mounted in sockets 55, which sockets in turn are-pivoted, as at 56, in the flanges of brackets31. By this arrangement, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 9, it will be seen that the arms 3 occupying a horizontal plane, can all, or part of them, be swung to the left or the right to nearly a position at right angles to the nested position of the arms, which is often impossible with the construction shown in the preceding figures. The arms and sockets, in eifect, form jointed arms having two centers or a double pivot. Furthermore, in such modified construction and also in the construction shown in the other figures the pivotal relation between the brackets 31 and plates 27 permits the entire rack, whether nested or otherwise, to be swung to one side or the other of its normal position, which compensates in a small degree for the impossibility to swing all of the arms 3 1 in a single rack of Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, to a position even approximating an angle of ninety degrees to their normal position when nested and parallel with each other.

, 'From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a sample-display trunk which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of invention, and itwill also be apparent that it is susceptible of modification without departing from its principle or scope or sacrificing any of its advantages.

- Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

1. A display-trunk comprising a body, a lid hinged thereto, a display-rack mechanism sup ported by and having a pivotal relation with the lid, and meansfor automatically swinging the rack to approximately a horizontal position'by raising the lid to approximately a ver tical position.

2. A display-trunk,comprising a body, a lid hinged thereto, a display-rack mechanism supported by and having a pivotal relation with the lid, means for automatically swinging the rack to approximately a horizontal position by raising the lid to approximately a vertical position, and means to yieldingly assist the operator in raising the lid.

3. A display-trunk, comprising a body, alid hinged thereto, adisplay-rack mechanism supported by and having a pivotal relation with the lid, and a brace-rod pivoted to the body eccentrically of the hinge-point of the lid and adapted to automatically swing the rack mechanism upward and forward as the lid is raised.

4. A display-trunk, comprising abod y, a lid hinged thereto, a display-rack mechanism supported by and having a pivotal relation with the lid, a brace-rod pivoted to the body eccentrically of the hinge-point of the lid and adapted to automatically swing the rack mechanism upward and forward as the lid is raised, and means for yieldingly assisting the operator in raising the lid.

5. Adisplay-trunk, comprising a body, a lid hinged thereto, a display-rack mechanism supported by and having a pivotal relation with the lid, a brace-rod pivoted to the body eccentrically of the hinge-point of the lid and adapted to automatically swing the rack mechanism upward and forward as the lid is raised, and a spring mounted on said rod and pressing the same and the lid longitudinally in opposite directions to assist in raising the latter.

6. Adisplay-trunk, comprising a body, a lid hinged thereto, a red at the inner side of the lid and extending longitudinally thereof and hinged at one end to the body above the hingepoint of the latter with the lid, and a displayrack mechanism pivotally supported from and at the inner side of the free end of the lid and having a relatively rigid arm adapted as the lid is being raised to be engaged and pushed forward and upward by said rod.

7. A display-trunk, comprisinga body, a lid hinged thereto, a rod at the inner side of the lid and extending longitudinally thereof and hinged at one end to the body above the hingepoint of the latter with the lid and having its opposite end forked, and a display-rack mechanism pivotall y supported from and at the inner side of the free end of the lid and having a relatively rigid arm adapted as the lid being raised to be engaged by the fork and pushed forward and upward by said rod.

8. Adisplay-trunk, comprisinga body, a lid hinged thereto, a rod at the inner side of the lid and extending longitudinally thereof and hinged at one end to the body above the hingepoint of the latter with the lid and having its opposite end forked, and a display-rack mechanism pivotally supported from and at the inner side of the free end of the lid and having a relatively rigid arm provided with a slot and adapted at the outer end of the latter, as the lid is being raised to be engaged by the fork and pushed forward and upward by said rod.

,9. Adisplay-trunk, comprisingabody, a lid hinged thereto, a rod at'the inner side of the a relatively rigid arm provided with a slot and adapted at the outer end of the latter, as the lid is being raised, to be engaged by the fork and pushed forward and upward by said rod, means to secure the rack mechanism substantially parallel with the lid while raised, and means tolock the lidin its closed position while the rack is thus secured.

10. A display-trunk, comprising a body, a lid hinged thereto, a rod at the inner side of the lid and extending longitudinally thereof and hinged at one end to the body above the hinge-point ofthe latter with the lid and having its opposite end forked, a display-rack mechanism pivotally supported from and at the inner side of the free end of the lid and having-a relatively rigid arm provided with a slot and adapted at the outer end of the latter, as the lid is being raised, to be engaged by the fork and pushed forward and upward by said rod, means to .secure the rack mechanism substantially parallel with the lid while raised, and a sliding frame to interlock the rack mechanism with the lid.

11. A display-trunk, comprising a body, a lid hinged thereto, a rod at the inner side of the lid and extending longitudinally thereof and hinged at one end to the body above the hinge-point of the latter with the lid and having its opposite end forked, a display-rack mechanism pivotally supported from and at the inner side of the free end ofthe lid and having arelatively rigid arm provided. with aslot and adapted at the outer end of the latter, as the lid is being raised, to be engaged by the fork and pushed forward and upward by said rodjmeans to secure the rack mechanism substantially parallel with the lid while raised, a sliding frame to interlock the rack mechanism with the lid,-and means to lock the lid in its closed position.

12. A display-trunk, comprising a body, a lid hinged thereto, a rod at the inner side of the lid and extending longitudinally thereof and hinged at one endto the body above the hinge-point of the latter with the lid and having its opposite end forked, a display-rack mechanism pivotally supported from and at the inner side of the free end of the lid and having a relatively-rigid,.arm provided with a. slot and adapted at the outer e'nd of the latter, as the lid is being raised, to be engaged by the fork and pushed forward and upward by said rod, means to secure the rack mechanism substantially parallel with the lid while raised and a sliding frame to interlock the rack mechanismwith thelid and to interlock against sliding movement with the body when the lid is closed. Y 13. A display-trunk, comprising a body,a lid-hinged thereto, a rod at the inner. side of the lid and extending longitudinally thereof and-hinged at one end to, the body above the hinge-point of the latter with the lid and having its opposite end forked, a display-rack mechanism pivotally supported from and at the inner side of the free end of the lid and having a relatively rigid arm provided with.

a slot and adapted atthe outer end of the-latter,-as the lid is being raised, to be engaged by the fork and pushed forward and upward by said rod, means to secure the rack mechanism substantially parallel with the lid while open,-a sliding frame to interlock the rack mechanism with the lid and to interlock against sliding movement with the bodywhen the lid is closed, and means to interlock said sliding frame with the body against vertical movement.

14. A display-trunk, comprising a body, a lid hinged thereto, a display-rack mechanism supported by and having a'pivotal relation with the lid, and embodying a series ofnested sample-supporting arms pivoted for independent lateral swinging movement, and means for automaticallyswinging the rack to approximately a horizontal position by raising the lid to approximately a vertical position before such independent swinging movement occurs.

15. A display-trunk, comprising a body, a lid hinged thereto, a display-rack mechanism supported by and having a pivotal relation with the lid, and embodying a series of nested sample supporting arms capable of joint swivel movement and pivoted for independent lateral swinging movement, and means for automatically swinging the rack to approximately a horizontal position by raisingthe lid to approximately a vertical position before such joint orindependentswinging movement occurs. v Y

16. A display-trunk, comprising a body, alid hinged thereto, a display-rack mechanism supported by and having a pivotal relation with the lid, and comprising plural sets of nested sample-supporting arms, said sets having a-hinged relation to permit them to be disposed atdifi'erent angles to each other; each set being capable of joint swivel movement to roll the samples thereon or unroll them therefrom,.and each arm ofeach set capable of independent lateral swinging movement, and means for automatically swingingthe rackto approximately a horizontal position by raising the lid to approximately a vertical position beforesuch hinged or swinging move-- .ment occurs. v

17. A display-trunk, comprising a. b.ody,';a lid hinged thereto, a display-rack mechanism,

disposed at different angles to each other, each set beingcapable of joint swivel movement to roll the samples thereon or unroll them therefrom, and each arm of each set capable of independent lateral swinging movement, means for automatically swinging the rack to approximately a horizontal position by raising the lid to approximately a vertical position before such hinged or swinging movement occurs, and means for covering the samples when rolled or wound upon the nested arms.

18. A display-trunk, comprising a body, a lid hinged thereto, a resilient brace-rod pivoted to the body above the hinge-point of the lid, a fulcrum for said rod at asuitable point between its ends and carried by the lid, and a display-rack mechanism movable with the lid and pivoted at the inner side of the same and provided with an'arm adapted to be engaged by the rod and forced by the same upward and forward. as the lid is being raised, and adapted as the rack mechanism is swung to a position approximately parallel with the lid as the latter is lowered, to spring or force the free end of said rod back toward the lid and hold it in such position until it is withdrawn from behind said arm by its relative rearward movement with respect to the lid, as the latter is being lowered.

19. A display-trunk, comprising a body, a lid hinged thereto, a resilient brace-rod pivoted to the body above the hinged point of the lid, and terminating in a fork at its free end, one tine of which is pivoted, a fulcrum for said rod at a suitable point between its ends and carried by the lid, and a displayrack mechanism movable with the lid and pivoted at the inner side of the same, and provided with an arm adapted to be engaged by the fork of the rod and forced by the same upward and forward as the lid is being raised, and adapted, as the rack mechanism is swung to a position approximately parallel with the lid as the latter is lowered, to spring or force the free end of said rod back toward the lid, and effect the collapse of the fork, and hold said rod in such position until it is withdrawn from behirid said arm by its relative rearward movement with respect to the lid, as the latter is being lowered.

20. A display-trunk, comprising a body having notches in the upper edge of its front wall, a lid hinged thereto, a bracket secured .to the lid at its inner side and near its free end, an angle-plate hinged to said bracket, a display-rack mechanism carried by said plate, a'slide-frame mounted in said angle-plate and adapted to occupy the notches in the front wall of the body, and provided with for- Wardly-disposed hooks to interlock with said rack mechanism substantially parallel with the lid, and means to lock said slide-frame against vertical movement in said notches.

21. A display-trunk, comprising a body having notches in the upper edge of its front wall, a lid hinged thereto, a bracket secured to the lid at its inner side and near its free end, an angle-plate hinged to said bracket, a display-rack mechanism carried by said plate. a slide-frame mounted in said angle-plate and adapted to occupy notches in the front wall of the body, and provided with forwardly-disposed hooks to interlock with said bracket and hold the angle-plate with the rack mechanism substantially parallel with the lid, means to lock said slide-frame against vertical movement in said notches, a rod pivoted to the body above the hinge-point of the lid and extending substantially parallel with the latter and at its inner side and adapted, as the lid is raised and the angle-plate is permitted to swing downward, to engage an arm of said plate and force it forward and upward.

2.9.. In a device of the character described, the combination of asuitable support, a socketbracket 'pivoted thereto to swing laterally, a series of arms independently pivoted to swing in the same plane as but independently of said bracket, and means for suspending samples and sample backing-sheets from said arms.

23. In a device of the character described, sample-display racks, comprising plates suitably supported, brackets swiveled thereto, a socket-bracket carried by said swiveled brackets, and sets of arms independently pivoted to said socket-bracket.

24:. In a device of the character described, sample-display racks. comprising plates suitably supported, brackets swiveled thereto, a socketbracket carried by said swiveled bracket, sets of slotted arms il'ldGl')0l1(lO11tl pivoted to said socket-bracket, and clips to engage said slotted arms and press the pertions thereof at opposite sides of the slot toward each other for the purpose set forth.

25. A display-trunk, comprising a body, a lid hinged thereto, a display-rack mechanism supported by and having a pivotal relation with the lid, means for automatically swinging the rack to approximately a horizontal position by raising the lid to approximately a vertical position, and a spring for resisting the closing movement of the lid. and assisting its opening movement.

26. A sample-display trunk, comprising a body, a lid hinged thereto, a display -rack mechanism hingedl y supported from the inner side of the lid near its free end, means for supporting the rack portion of said mechanism substantially parallel with the lid, means to permit the rear or free end of the rack portion of said mechanism to gravitate downward while the lid is being raised, and a crossbracket and hold the angle-plate with the l piece in the body to keep the samples carried by said'rack off the bottom of the trunk and thus-protect themfrom injury while the lid is beingraised.

27. A sample-display trunk, comprising a body, a lid hinged thereto, a display-rack mechanism hingedly supported from the inner side of the lid near its free end, means for supporting the rack portion .of said mechanism substantially parallel with the lid, means to permit the rear or free end of the rack portion of said mechanism to gravitate downward while the lid is being raised, and a brace pivotally connected and adapted to drag at its opposite end upon the bottom of the body to brace the lid in tially open position.

28. In a device of the character described, a sample-display rack, comprising plates suitably supported, and arms, consisting of two portions pivoted together with one of said portions pivoted to said plates.

29. A display-rack mechanism, comprising a suitable support, a bracket pivoted thereto,

its wholly or pararms pivoted to said-bracket to swingin the same plane as said bracket, and Ya frame hinged to the support for operation at right angles to said bracket and adapted attimes to prevent swinging movement of the bracket. 30. A display-rack mechanism, comprising a suitable support, a bracket pivoted thereto,

to the support for operation at right angles to said bracket and adapted at times to pre vent swinging movement of the bracket, said arms being adapted to suspend samples and JO N L. TANDY.

. VVitnessesi J. A. RAFFETY, A. L. CLEM.

.30 armspivoted to said bracket to swing in 1 the same plane as said bracket, a frame'hinged- 

